The Neighbourhood Library: A Community of Young Readers

In January 2021, when the pandemic was escalating, 12-year-old Maryam Jameela, together with her father and brother, came up with an inspiring grassroots movement, “The Neighbourhood Library”.

Maryam, who had always been an avid reader since childhood, thanks to her father’s bookstore, realised that children were being raised with more screen time than book time. She, along with the help of her father, Mirza Abdul Qayyum Nadvi, and brother, Mirza Abdul Hasan Ali, decided to do something for the kids in their area to instil a love for reading in them.

The first libraries were established in almirahs with 300 to 400 books in parking lots, mosques, temples, and residential lawns. Today, the movement has expanded to 36 libraries in Aurangabad, and more in Hyderabad, parts of Madhya Pradesh, and Kashmir.

According to Ali, the movement was started without any expectations, only with the hope that children would have something to read. However, over five years, the libraries have brought about a marked change, especially in the area of leadership training. In some areas, children have come forward on their own to manage the libraries as “young librarians.” Without any staff members, these children are in charge of managing the books and lending them out. Plans are afoot to give them a small salary every month and training in basic record-keeping to give them confidence. The movement specifically encourages girls, including Muslim girls, to take up this task as a step towards empowerment.

Talking about the library as an open, free, and inclusive space, Ali said, “The library is for marginalised groups, especially children and Muslim women. Incidents such as the removal of a woman’s hijab in public send a negative message to society and discourage women.” He further added, “It creates fear and uncertainty among marginalised groups who are already under constant social pressure. This initiative aims to provide access to books, opportunities, and a safe space every day to slowly work towards reducing the fear of exclusion and encourage participation with confidence.”

The team plans to establish 26 additional libraries this year in collaboration with communities, NGOs, and individuals. However, securing space remains a huge difficulty, as the initiative does not pay rent and relies on residents willing to provide modest spaces for libraries. Staffing is also limited due to a lack of institutional funding, with most centres maintained by volunteers, including close friends and local supporters. Though not a registered NGO, the project continues as a community-driven effort, with hopes of formalising hiring and training processes if funding becomes available.

Each library houses children’s literature, picture books, and biographies in Marathi, Hindi, Urdu, and English. The library remains open 24/7 and without locks; the libraries operate on mutual trust within the community. Ali acknowledged that some books may be damaged or lost, but this was part of the process of maintaining access without restriction. He also pointed out that the collection is made up mainly of inexpensive children’s books, and that the overall goal is to achieve justice in access.

Using his experience in social work and with UNICEF in the area of child protection and mental health, Ali has strived to make the libraries a safe and welcoming environment. The project has now been extended to over 10,000 children. Children who once lacked access to books have gone on to confidently speak with journalists from outlets such as Aaj Tak and BBC. Ali said the collective growth in children’s confidence and curiosity stands as the project’s greatest success.

He added that communities need not wait for large organisations to act. Even a small shelf of books, he said, can become the foundation of change if communities are willing to adopt, critique, and expand the idea themselves.